Carrying and pressing apparatus.



G. S. WHEBLWRIGHT. CARRYING AND PRESSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 14, 1908- I 939,576. Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

G. S. WHEELWRIGHT. CARRYING AND PRBSSING APPARATUS.

939576' APP LICA-TI0N FILED 1130.14, 19-08. Patented Novng' 6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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G. S. WHEELWRIG'HT. CARRYING Am) PRESSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED D120. 14, 1908.

%m R m mm o a A w M w y A 9 A m W a n v I w i tmooeo UNITED STATES [PATE' CHARLES S. WHEELWRIGI-IT, OF BRISTOL, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO INTERNA- TIONAL CONTINUOUS FILTER PRESS COMPANY, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A

CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND.

CARRYING AND PRESSING APPARATUS.

seams.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

Application filed December 14, 1908. Serial No. 467,501.

a resident of Bristol, in the State of Rhode Island, have invented new and useful Improvements in Carrying and Pressing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates especially to apparatus designed for use in a garbage or rendering plant, but may be put to other uses. Itv is an improvement upon the inventions set forth in my Patents No. 783,602, dated February 28, 1905, and No. 890,112, dated June 9, 1908, to which reference is made for many of the details of apparatus in which the present invention is embodied. The invention consists in the combination with a chamber provided with perforated plates for draining under pressure materials saturated with or accompanied by water, of means for blowing out or clearing the perforations in said plates while the pressure in said chamber is continued. 3

The invention consists further in the combination with the invention stated above,'of means for the automatic operation of the same.

lt consists further in means for determining the periods at and during which said means for blowing out or clearing the per-v forations shall act automatically.

The invention consists further in details of construction whereby the drainingsurface of the apparatus is greatly enlarged.

It consists further mimprovements upon? the original conveying and pressing appaand in an improved guard for the main shaft to prevent its becoming clogged with rags and similar articles.

The invention consists further in other details of construction.

In the drawings: Figures 1 and 2 together constitute a longitudinal elevation mostly in section showing the apparatus,

Fig. 1 being the entrance half of the apparatus, and Fig. 2 showing the remainder of the apparatus including valve mechanism. Fig. '3 is a longitudinal elevation of the said second half of the apparatus, including valve mechanism. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on line 1-4- of Fig. 1. Fig.5 is a cross-section on line 55 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of a cylinder containing a water trap, air chamber, and valve mechanism. Fig. 7 is a View partly in cross-seotion and partly in elevation on line 7-7 of Fig. 3. Fig. 8

a View partly in cross-section and partly in elevation on line 8-8 of Fig. 8. Fig. 9 is a detached view of part of the devices shown in Fig. 7. Figs. 10 and 11 are sections on the line 10-11, in Fig. 7. Fig. 12

a detail showing an air valve.

The invention has mostly to do with drain plates, as they have been termed, through which water and water and oil in the ap li cation of the invention to garbage or ren er- -ing plants, are forced from the conveying and pressing mechanism. The drain plates shown in the drawings are provided with a filter cloth, the actual construction being two perforated plates with a cloth between them, the same being known in the arts as a filter press, and this construction is included under the term drain plates wherever the latter is used in this specification, but not to the exclusion of the simple drain plate. In a garbage plant where water is used over and over again, and it is immaterial whether it is pure, the drain plate by itself will answer the purposes of the invention, but in the manufacture of paper, of starch, or of lard,

etc., the filter press becomes necessary.

A is the conveying cylmder formed in sections A, A, and A, as in my former patent. 'B is the conveying screw, keyed to the mam shaft F of the apparatus. P, P, are metal swing plates, in the said former patent termed fins, pivoted in boxes B set in the periphery of said conveying cylinder to follow the revolutions of the screw B, and im parting frictional resistanceto the more solid parts of materials passing through the conveying cylinder.

I is an inlet to the conveyer, leading from a digester or other source of supply.

E and E are perforated plates (or filter presses) adjustable to and from the conveying cylinder through which plates water, or water and oil, given up by the tankage as the latter passes through the conveying cylinder, are forced from the cylinder. A is an additional section being an extension of said conveying cylinder beyond the conveying screw B having in the same casting a chamber a of a little larger diameter, internal and external, than said extension A and A? is a still further section forming a still further continuation of said conveying cylinder, containing the regulating valve V having the mode of operation of a similar valve in my said former patents. The said sections are properly bolted together. The said chamber a is adapted to hold a choking ring g, which modifies the shape or consistency of the plug of material formed in and passing through the apparatus as it is presented to the regulating valve; but said choking ring may have a different form from the ring shown. In the extension A. is a loose sleeve S" upon the main shaft, whose office is to prevent the rolling up of rags and similar articles about the main shaftas they pass through the apparatus. The said sleeve is best made in two parts and is held in place against the end of the conveying screw B by a tight collar 0 held in position in a recess on the shaft F, as shown. Chafing rings g" and are used at either end of the sleeve. The extension A has attached thereto a branch containing the tankage exit H of the conveying cylinder. In this extension A as stated above, is the said regulating valve V, sliding upon the main shaft F substantially as described in my said former patent and operating against a packing ring 10 set as a seat in the end of the extension A, to open or close the passage between A and Aflthe operating face of said valve V being provided with knives K for a purpose described in my former patents. The regulating valve is of cage-form and is made in two parts bolted together by volts 7). A collar t on the main shaft within the cage turns with the main shaft being held in place for that purpose by screw-pins 10 (but one is shown) working into slots Z upon the main shaft. The valve V turns with the main shaft only when it is drawn far enough back, by mechanism to be described, for clutch jaws c on said valve to engage the other jaws c on said collar 1?. The regulating valve is screwed upon the sleeve S, upon the main shaft, one end of which projects into a third extension A of the coi'iveying cylinder. A head, 72,, of the extension x is secured to extension A by bolts 6. A suitable packing follower, d, secured to head it by bolts 6 compresses a packing about the sleeve S, as shown.

F is a piston fitting in the inner periphery of extension cylinder A and secured against a. shoulder in sleeve S by a collar c screwed upon the said sleeve.

The extension A together with the conveying ap]')aratus is closed at the farther end by cylinder-head, ]l ,H(, CUl.((l to llangcs upon the barrel of extension A by bolts t". A suitable packing is provided about the main shaft F and held by a follower scoured to the head 71, by bolts 0, as shown. Ports cc, 112 in the shell of the extension A admit compressed air to one side or the other of said piston F from a pipe 1 connecting with the compressed air system of the apparatus, there being a. three-way valve in the connection of pipe 1 with the pipe leading to said compressed air system.

1* is a stop adjustable by screws F, in head 71? limiting the movement of the piston F and regulating valve V in one direction. (the jar being taken up by a rubber ring 'ufQ while in the other the movement is limited by the packing ring In.

it is unnecessary to describe the mechanism shown in the drawings for taking up the end thrust of the main shaft l, or other mere details, the construction of which is obvious or has been set forth in other patents. Nor is it necessary to explain in full the mode of operation of the mechanism thus far described. it is sutlicient to say that material accompanied by an over abundai'ice of water enters the machine at the inlet 1. is taken by the conveying screw i and with the assistance of the tin-Mates P, P, is carried through the machine forming a plug against the regulating valve V. which when that valve is opened linully drops at section A through the branch. ll, the excess of water being provided for as hereafter described.

The means employed for supporting the conveying cylinder and attachments dill'cr somewhat from the means of the former patent 890,112. That is, while the third section A of the conveyor is supported on a bed D cast in the form of a long box with openings at the top and bottom and having perpendicular ends D. l)-', and inclined side; i)", D substantially as both sections Alnnd A are supported in my former palent (see Fig. 4- herein,) section A, including the entrance section A, is outside of the bed 1) and is supported at one end upon the frame of the bed 1) and at the other on the post I)". Section A, also outside of the bed i) at the other end of the conveying screw, is supported by the frame of the bed I) and the extension or casing A. The extension A including the branch ll, rests upon its own bottom. Section A", as previously shown, is attached to section A The main (or left, F ig. 4:) being closed by a cap shaft F is supported at the extreme'ends by the post D previously mentioned, and a post D. Much of the apparatus extends beneath the floor and is supported by subfoundations, as shown. The said top of the bed D has inclined sides with flanges to which is bolted by bolts 5 6 a coinciding flange on downward extending parts on the section A of the conveying cylinder (see Fig. 4). The bottom of the bed has also a flange around its sides and ends designed to rest upon the floor of the building, or upon I-beams especially constructed therefor. There is also a long opening in the said bottom of said bed which is closed by a dishshaped casting N bolted thereto by bolts 7), b, and extending below said floor, there being at the center of said casting N an opening through which extends a compressed air cylinder A secured thereto by bolts 7), b which pass through flanges of said cylinder A, as shown. A drain pipe 1"" is provided for the bed D, set near the bottom of the said casting N. Girders 'or bridges L are employed within the box or bed D, as shown, and as more fully described in my said former patent. In the top of said bed is a long opening corresponding in size to the plate E through and. in which. the said plate may be set up to the conveying cylinder. In the opposite inclined side of the section A, Fig. 4, are 1ongitudinal openings, each of which is surrounded by a neck B thus inclosing chambers C and C the chambers C at the back B5 bolted in place by bolts 5 while the chamber C is closed by a cap B hinged at the lower edge so as to swing outward to open the chamber, but held in place by a pivoted clamping lever L the upper end of which is forked. to receive a swinging threaded bolt 7) on which is a hand nut n. There may be any desired number of these openings, necks and chambers 0, there being, however, but a single chamber C K is a shaft along the back of the bed D carrying worms one of which is shown at Fig. 4. The worms engage and turn worm wheels r f, (but one is shown), each having a hub which turns in bearings in the plate B, and is provided with a collar whereby it cannot move horizontally. The interior of the hub has a screw thread which takes into a corresponding thread on a shaft g one end of which is free while the other is rigidly secured to the block K by means of two collars c, c pinnedto the screw, as shown, the latter collar, 0 being in a recess in said block K The shaft g is made fast in the block K The upper surface of block K is lncllned, as shown, and, as the block is moved in one direction or the other by the mechanism just described, it acts as a wedge upon the under surface of a similarly inclined block K to set the said block K up or lower it in the apparatus. The blocks K K the bridge supports or girders L upon which the blocks move, and projections from .the frames of the drain plate E, hereinafter described as Water boxes G, against which they work to raise or lower the same, are dovetailed into one another as fully described in my Patent No. 890,112 and as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 in the present case. There are two of these sets of blocks K and K and upon the blocks 1' rests the said water box G, the top of which serves as a frame for a before mentioned drain plate E.

The water box G (Fig. 4) is of shallow depth having inclined sides at the bottom and extending beneath the conveying screw nearly the length of section A or about half the length of the conveying screw B, sup ported at its ends upon inclined blocks K K downward projections K from said ends resting on block K and at its middle portion by a piston rod T from the piston 16 in the compressed air cylinder A bolted to the said piston working through a packing box 72 in the top of each cylinder A In the top of the water box G, as a frame, is fitted the filter press of the construction above described (or in some instances a single perforated plate) E. The slanting sides of the bottom of the box G insure that water in said box may drain off, or more properly be forced through two flexible pipes or pieces of hose H, one end of each of which is inserted in a suitable manner in a hole in the bottom of said box G while the other is suitably connected to a fixed water pipe P,the purpose of which will appear. To remove the water box G from the apparatus, the blocks K are drawn. successively into the chamber C and the plate B having been swung down, and the pistonrod T having in meantime been lowered by admission of compressed air upon the upper side of piston 25 through pipes N N as determined by a three-way hand valve, not shown, in the connection of said pipes N, N with a pipe leading from compressed air system, and the pieces of hose H having been removed, .the water box G and the filter plate carried thereby are taken out through the front of the machine.

At section A near to the entrance section A of the apparatus, where there is an over abundance of water in the operation, four sets of the filter presses are used, the same being arranged about the conveying screw, two above and below and two at the sides. Such construction is best shown at Fig. which is taken on line 55 of Fig. 1. It

will be sutficient to describe the construction and mode of operation of the set above the conveying screw, since the pressure from within is substantially the same in all directions.

Sections A and A are each cast with an end flange, H1 and H, respectively between which flanges are inserted in sections A" four water boxes Gr substantially of the length of section A" (but of less weight than the water box Gr,) and mechanism for carrying off water as follows: Between the flanges H", H" extend four series of parallel flanges J (Fig. 5), constituting necks around openings communicating with the interior of the section A. and receiving each a drain box G and a filter plate E each drain box having a transverse diaphragm g and being movable radially by turning a screw J which extends through a yoke P held in place by means of swinging bolts 0 pivoted to cars on the flanges and provided with hand nuts, 0", the threaded end of each screw J extending into a threaded opening of the drain box. Suitable packing rings t t surrounding said boxes and lying on a shoulder in said flanges J and held in place by ring plates 15, are employed, as shown, screws 25 25 passing through ears 9 on the said box G and entering the said ring plate the whole forming a proper packing means. The swinging levers a swing into slots at either end of the yokes where they are made secure by the hand-nuts a Set-nuts n upon the swinging lever are screwed up against the yoke for firmness. A set collar 0 and a shoulder on hand screw J confine said screw to its position in the yoke.

L is a water pipe surrounding the conveying cylinder at section A and communicating with each of the tour drain boxes at section A by pipes P P, P, P, bolted to a similar pipeprojection from L, the said pipes P etc., being provided with suit-able packing boxes (I The pipe L communicates by a pipe L with a water reservoir R, somewhat large, as shown, but which must be large enough together with pipes connecting therewith to hold sutticient water to be forced back, under the pressure of compressed air admitted to the water systen'i of section A", as will be described, to clear the perforations ot the plates, for steam or con'ipressed air acting upon the perforations without the intervention of the 'ater is apt to clear one or two holes to the neglect of the remaining holes.

Section A is furnished with a similar filter press or plate E set in a water box G of substantially similar construction to the boxes above described, held in place between flanges in the casting forming the shell of section A. by yokes, not shown, in the usual manner. \Vater drained or forced through the plate E passes down through a pipe 1 which is telescoped in to a pipe P leading out of the machine. It should be observed that this pipe and all others leading out of the machine lead to reservoirs and separators in the general plant embodying my inventions relating to garbage and similar uses as shown in many patents to me.

The entire apparatus herein described and shown is water tight and air tight.

\V is a hand\vheel by which pipe P is telescoped in to pipe P and the box t lowered from section A.

W is ater tight and air tight cylinder the lower part of the interior of which as the cylinder lies on its side, as shown, belongs to the water system of the apparatus while the upper part belongs to the compressed air system (see Fig. (3). A partition a, establishes the level at which water shall remain in compartment (1 of the cylinder as a trap, the main body of the water flowing over the said partition and through a. port 0" into compartment a" and out through pipe L. The port c is normally open but at times is closed by a rocking valve V rocking with a shaft. K" to which it is secured and which has bearings in the heads or ends of cylinder The valve V" has collars (1, (1 upon either side on shaft K, which has further collars c on the inner end, as shown, and a packing box 11 near the other end. The said valve V is operated by a toothed sector, ll", rigidly attached to shaft K which projects beyond the head of cylinder TV (see Fig. (3,) a second toothed sector H upon one end ot a bell crank lever H giving motion to H". The bell crank lever H is pivoted to a stud U) in a projection from cylinder \V and in turn is operated by a connecting rod 1). to which its other arm is pivoted and which receives a slightly reciprm'zating movement to operate said bell crank lever from time to time from a cam upon a cam-shaft. It", as will be. explained.

is a comln'essed air pipe leading from a source that will be mentioned, to the interior of cylinder V at the top, the purpose of the pipe being that when colnln'essed air shall enter said cylinder \V it shall force 'ater in compartment (1. and in pipe 1", flexible pipes H and water box t. back through the filter press or plate E.

\V is a water and air tight. cylinder in l I v I a section A" to perform a similar othce to that performed by cylinder \V in section being connected with reservoir R by a pipe L. The interior of cylinder \V' is ot the same construction as cylinder \V, and the mechanism without the cylinder for operating the rocking valve is the same as that.

used in section A but is not shown as necessary and to avoid confusion in the drawings. A deficiency of water in section A" may be remedied by the use of a reservoir, such as R in the water system of sec tion A".

N is a compressed air pipe similar to N.

The apparatus for compressing air used in the machine for forcing back water to clear the plates 1 and the plates E (as well. as for other purposes) is not shown, but it is sufficient to say that compressed air enters from a compressor, not shown, through branches (but one is shown, M from a general supply pipe (not shown) appropriated respectively to perforated plates or filter presses E and E with a valve in each branch. A description of one valve, V will suflice for both. Each valve casing J (Figs. 3, 7, 12,) has the seat for a valve V pressed upward by a spring 8, thereby dividing the casing into two chambers J J", the valve stem m extending through a packing box j at the top of the casing, a spring 5 intervening between the follower on the packing box and a head or knob on the end of the valve stem. lVith the said chambers connect, respectively, pipes N leadin to the cylinder and pipe M leading from the compressor. In operation the valve is opened by an elbow lever L pivoted to an arm M on the valve casing J the elbow of the lever pressing down upon the headof the valve stem therein. When valve V is open compressed air entering the casing J by the pipe M from the compressor, as before stated, goes out to the cylinder W by pipe N The said elbow lever, as is obvious, may be operated by hand, but means whereby it operates automatically will now be described.

B is a cam shaft arranged along the front side of the conveying cylinder A revolving in bearing boxes B B projecting from the conveying cylinder and provided with a cam a which acts upon the elbow lever L in section A (a similar cam acting on a simi lar lever in section A is not shown,) to force the said lever at intervals, regulated by mechanism connected with the cam shaft, to open the valve V to let compressed air into the apparatus, 2'. 6. into the upper part of cylinders W and W over the water therein. Lower down also in front of section A supported at one end in a bearing B in turn supported by the casing A and at the other at a bearing in the post supporting the main shaft, is an intermediate shaft F taking its motion from the main shaft F, by gears G and G and communicating motion to an idle sprocket wheel W on said cam shaft B by a sprocket wheel W on said intermediate shaft, sprocket chain R and the sprocket wheel VV on said cam shaft, carrying clutchjaws 14 the other like jaws being on a sliding clutch section on the cam shaft.

. B? is a stud projecting from the branch H to the inside of which it is secured, and upon it is a loose running gear G taking motion from gear G on the intermediate shaft. Upon the hub of said gear G sccured by mechanism which will be described,

is an eccentric M giving an eccentric rod m a to-and-fro motion, the farther end of said rod being adjustably attached to a pawl lever a by a hand screw r working in a slot in said pawl lever, which lever extends from the bearing B A pawl 4' carried by the said pawl lever takes into a ratchet wheel R on the cam shaftB as shown, there being attached to the face of said ratchet wheel so as to turn with it a double or variable sectional cam R acting upon the periphery of which is an elbow lever or dog, L, pivoted at the elbow to a projection from B", one end of which is held in contact with the variable cam by virtue of a spring i while the other end of the lever is forked to straddle the sliding section of the clutch K upon the cam shaft, each arm of the fork being furnished with a pin a which enters a groove in said second clutch-section K. The cam R is termed variable, since the depression therein is capable of adjustment. Thus the said cam is divided into two sections 0 and 0 both fitting on the hub of the ratchet wheel R the operating surface of the one being identical with the operating surface of the other, but while one cam is fixed upon the said hub, being secured to one face of the ratchet wheel R the other is movable around the same hub, or in other words, the face of 011e cam is movable over the face of the other, a distance determined by the slots t, t and pins 0 (2, whereby the depression in the operating surface is increased or diminished. The throw of the eccentric rod m depends upon the position of the eccentric M which is adjustable about an inner eccentric a on the hub of gear Gr by means of a slot a and a pin n passing through said slot and entering the face of gear G9.

The object of the mechanism herein so minutely described is not only that compressed air shall be admitted for the purpose of clearing the filter presses, at intervals, but that intervals of time between actions of the compressed air shall be sufficiently long for the conveying cylinder to do its work without substantial interruption. With mechanism substantially as shown, the said cam shaft B may be kept at rest for ten or even twenty minutes or more.

The sprocket wheel W on shaft B has double the diameter of sprocket wheel on shaft F and therefore the shaft B when in motion, turns with only half the rapidity of shaft F the time of whose own movement is determined by the main shaft l and the gears G and G But, as may be readily seen, the cam shaft- B is only in motion while the clutch sections are engaged, when the dog L is in a depression in the double or variable cam R the step-by-step movement of which, (regulated by the sweep of the pawl r over the ratchet teeth, in turn regulated by the length of pawl lever a and the length of throw of eccentric rod m in turn regulated as will be described.) is exceedingly slow.

As just stated, the clutch K and the ram shaft B revolving with it are in operation only while the dog L is in the depression of the variable cam R but the time of the said clutch and said cam shaft in making a revolution when once started is independent of the means by which it is started and stopped, but depends, as already shown, upon the difference of the diameters of the sprocket wheels and N It. follows that the cams (4 upon the cam shaft B may be made to trip the valves operated by said cams once, twice, or three or four times quite rapidly and then will lie idle for a long period of time during which the apparatus described will continue to carry forward and subject to pressure garbage or other substances placed therein.

Q is a cam-wheel upon the cam shaft l3" and revolving therewith, having on one face a cam-groove 2 in which is a cam-roll p upon the connecting rod L operating the bell crank lever H as above described. The lever L at its upper end or in an attachment serving as its upper end, has a slot 0 within which tits :1 guide box surrounding the cam shaft 13'. The revolution of the cam-wheel Q causes the cam-roll y) to vary its position to and from the cam shaft according to the position it assumes in the cam groove, the travel of which about the roll on the connection rod gives a rocking motion to the sector crank H The arrangement of the cams and the cam wheel Q; on the cam shaft B" such that the water valve movement leads the tripping of the air valves, so that while the air valves are open the water valves are closed and the traps are sealed, and the air acts upon the water to send the latter through the filter plates. Having done this the air valve quickly closes and thereafter the water valve gradually opens.

A description of the operation of the herein described mechanism in detail is not necessary. Previous patents have described in detail how material accompanied by water entering the conveying cylinder will be carried under pressure by the conveying screw and fins against the regulating valve and to the hopper through which the material will be discharged. By the present improvements, while said material accompanied by water is carried through the conveying cylinder, water discharged therefrom or forced therefrom through the drain plates may momentarily without the stoppage of the machine automatically be sent back through the drain plates to clean the perforations thereof at predetermined intervals.

I claim 1. In a device of the class described the combination with a conveying and pressing cylinder adapted to receive and forward under pressure material saturated with and accompanied by water. drain plates for said cylinder, and means for pressing the mate rial and forcing the water through said drain plates. of means for forcing said water or a part. thereof back through said drain plates into said cylinder against the pressure therein.

2. In a device of the class described thc combination with a conveying and pressing cylinder adapted to receive and forward under pressure material saturated with and accompanied by water. drain plates for said cylinder. and means for pressing the material and forcing the water through said drain plates. of means for automatically forcing said water or a part thereof back through said drain plates into said cylinder against the pressure therein.

3. In a device of the class described the combination with a conveying and pressing cylinder adapted to receive and forward under pressure material saturated with and accompanied by water. of drain plates for said cylinder, means for pressing the matw rial and forcing the water through said drain plates, and means for automatically forcing said water or a part thereof back through said drain plates into said cylinder against the pressure therein at prcdctcrmined intervals.

4t. In a device of the class described the combination with a conveying cylinder adapted to receive and forward under pressure material saturated with and accompanied by water, and provided with a drain plate for the passage of said water from said cylinder, of apparatus outside of said cylinder adapted to receive water through said drain plate and permit its passage through said outside ap 'mralus. means for closing said outside apparatus to the passage of water and means for forcing the water back into the cylinder through the drain plate against the pressure in said cylinder.

The combination with a chamber adapted to receive and press material. a drain plate in the wall of said chamber for the passage of water from said chamber and ceases apparatus outside of said chamber adapted to receive water through said drain plate and permit its passage through said outside apparatus, of means for closing said outside apparatus to the passage of water and means for forcing said water back into the chamber through the drain plate against the pressure in said chamber.

6. The combination with a pressing cham ber adapted to press material saturated with and accompanied by water, provided with perforated outlets for the passage of said water, and apparatus outside of said chamber adapted to receive said water and permit its passage therethrough, of means for closing said outside apparatus to the passage of said water and means for admitting compressed air upon said water remaining in said apparatus to force it back through the perforations in said outlets against the pressure in said chamber. 7

7. In a device of the class described the combination with a conveying and pressing cylinder adapted to receive and forward under pressure material saturated with and accompanied by water and provided with a drain plate for the passage of said water, of apparatus outside of said cylinder adapted to receive said water through said drain plate and permit its passage through said outside apparatus, means for closing said outside apparatus to the passage of water, and means for forcing said water or a portion thereof back through the perforations in said drain plate against the pressure in said cylinder.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with a conveying cylinder adapted to receive and forward under pressure material saturated with and accompanied by water, a hollow bed supporting said cylinder and constituting a chamber communicating with said conveying cylinder through openings in the top and bottom of each respectively, a water-tight box fitting inand closing said, openings, and a draining plate constituting a cover for said box and forming a continuation of the wall of said cylinder when said box is in position, of means for lowering said box and draining plate into said chamber, and means for removing the box anddraining plate from the chamber through a wall thereof.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination with the conveying cylinder adapted to receive and forward material saturated with and accompanied by water, of a hollow bed supporting said cylinder and constituting a chamber communicating with said cylinder through openings in the top and bottom of each respectively, a watertight box fitting in and closing said openings and movable downward into said chamber, a draining plate constituting a cover for said box and forming a continuation of the wall of said cylinder when said box is in position, a receptacle adapted to receive and trap water passing through said draining plate and water-box, means for forcing the trapped water back into said conveying cylinder through said draining plate, and means for removing said box'and draining plate from said chamber through a wall of said chamber.

10. The combination of the conveying cylinder, the conveying screw and mechanism for revolving said screw, the drain plate in the periphery of said conveying cylinder, the water box outside of said conveying cylinder and said drain plate, and a passageway for water from said water box with an enlargement therein containing a water trap and a water valve beyond said trap, with means for stopping the flow of water thereof through said passageway and forcing it back through said water-box and drain plate into said conveying cylinder.

11. The combination with the conveying cylinder, the conveying screw and mechanism for revolving said screw, the drain, plate in the periphery of said conveying cylinder, the water box outside .of said conveying cylinder and said drain plate, and a passageway for Water from said water box with an enlargement therein containing a water trap and a water valve beyond said trap, and a compressed air pipe, with a valve therein leading from an extraneous source and opening into said enlargement above the water in said trap, of a cam shaft carrying two kinds of cams, one kind adapted to close and open said water valve and the other kind adapted to open and close said valve in said compressed air pipe, the arrangement being such that said water valve shall open shortly before said compressed air valve opens and close shortly after said compressed air valve closes.

12. The combination with the conveying cylinder, the conveying screw and mechanism for revolving said screw, the drain plate in the periphery of said conveying cylinder, the water box outside of said conveying cylinder and said drain plate, a passageway for water from said water box with an enlargement therein containing a water trap and a water valve beyond said trap, and a com pressed air pipe leading from an extraneous source and provided with a valve, opening into said enlargement above the water in said trap, of'a cam shaft carrying two kinds of cams, one kind adapted to close and open said water valve and the other kind adapted to open and close said valve in said compressed air pipe.

13. In a device of the class described, the combination with a conveying and pressing cylinder adapted to receive material saturated. with or accompanied by water and I provided with perforated outlets for the passage of said water, of apparatus outside of said cylinder and perforated outlets adapted to receive said water through said outlets and permit its passage through said outside apparatus, means for closing said outside apparatus to the passage of water at predetermined intervals and means for admitting compressed air from an extraneous source upon said water remaining in said outside apparatus and forcing it or a portion thereof back through the perforations in said outlets against the pressure in said chamber also at predetermined intervals.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature :25

in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES S. \VHEELWRTG lll. \Vitnesscs HLLIAM, \V. SWAN, T1).\ E. HANnRnN. 

